ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

to listen / to hear

tīng
7 strokes · 口 (mouth radical) + 斤 · HSK 1

Where 听 comes from

听 (traditional 聽) was built around 耳 (ear) — the ear that does the hearing, joined with the eye and heart all turned toward a speaker. The simplified 听 swapped in 口 (mouth) and 斤 for an easier form, but the meaning held: to LISTEN.

听 in Chinese culture

听 completes your sense-verb set. Remember 好 from week one? 好听 means 'nice-sounding' — pleasant to listen to, used for music and voices. 听话 ('to listen to words') is what Chinese parents praise in an obedient child. 听 is also how you say you 'understand' a spoken language: 我听不懂 = 'I don't understand (by ear).'

Example

好听 hǎotīng — nice-sounding (of music, a voice)

这个歌很好听。
Zhège gē hěn hǎotīng.
This song sounds great.

How to remember it

Turn your ear (the traditional 耳) toward a sound to LISTEN.

好听 (nice-sounding) for ears, 好看 (good-looking) for eyes, 好吃 (delicious) for the mouth. The same 好 + sense-verb pattern runs through the whole language.

Same sound, different tones

1st tīng
to listen
2nd tíng
to stop
3rd tǐng
quite / rather

Words unlocked by 听

好听 hǎotīng
nice-sounding
听听 tīngting
have a listen
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